The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw - LightNovelsOnl.com
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_Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?_
After so many battles with the Scribes, O Lord, Caesar himself comes; Caesar with his sword.
They fight not arm'd with Caesar's sword indeed; But Caesar as their sword with craft they plead.
Conquer'd thyself, O Caesar, make it known-- Who save thee, worthy so to be o'erthrown. G.
Lx.x.xIII.
_In tibicines et turbam tumultuantem circa defunctam._ Matt. ix. 23.
Vani, quid strepitis? nam quamvis dormiat illa,[58]
Non tamen e somno est sic revocanda suo.
Expectat solos Christi sopor iste susurros: Dormit enim; sed non omnibus illa tamen.
_The minstrels and crowd making a noise about the dead._
Vain mourning this; why make ye such loud noise?
She sleeps indeed, but so will not awake.
Her sleep waits for the whisper of His voice Who a great promise to her father spake. G.
Lx.x.xIV.
_Piscatores vocati._ Matt. iv. 19.
Ludite jam, pisces, secura per aequora: pisces Nos quoque, sed varia sub ratione, sumus.
Non potuisse capi, vobis spes una salutis: Una salus n.o.bis est, potuisse capi.
_The fishermen called._
Play, fishes, in your waters, safely play: We become fishes too, another way.
Not to be taken, to you safety brought: But we are then most safe when we are caught. B.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
Careless, aneath the waves, ye fishes, play: We too are fishes, in a different way; Ye die, we live, being caught; and that for aye. G.
ANOTHER.
Sport, fishes, now, within the secure sea: Lo, fishes too, in different kind, are we.
In shunning nets your hope of safety lay; Our safety is to be the netter's prey. A.
Lx.x.xV.
_Date Caesari._ Marc. xii. 17.
Cuncta Deo debentur: habet tamen et sua Caesar; Nec minus inde Deo est, si sua Caesar habet.
Non minus inde Deo est, solio si caetera dantur Caesareo, Caesar c.u.m datur ipse Deo.
_Give to Caesar ... and to G.o.d...._
All we have is G.o.d's, and yet Caesar challenges a debt; Nor hath G.o.d a thinner share, Whatever Caesar's payments are.
All is G.o.d's; and yet 'tis true All we have is Caesar's too.
All is Caesar's; and what ods, So long as Caesar's selfe is G.o.d's? CR.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
All things belong to G.o.d, yet Caesar has his all; Not due the less to G.o.d that they to Caesar fall.
Not less they're G.o.d's because they're giv'n to Caesar's throne; For Caesar's throne itself belongs to G.o.d alone. G.
Lx.x.xVI.
_Dominus asino vehitur._ Matt. xxi. 7.
Ille igitur vilem te, te dignatur asellum, O non vectura non bene digne tua!
Heu, quibus haud pugnat Christi patientia monstris!
Hoc quod sic fertur, hoc quoque ferre fuit.
_The Lord borne on the a.s.s._
Does He, base a.s.s, thus deign to honour thee, Unworthy thus to bear th' incarnate G.o.d?
Alas, Thy patience strangely tried I see, Thee carried thus who bear'st sin's awful load! B.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
A common a.s.s does the Lord dignify?
O, how unworthy such a burden high!
With the Lord's patience, ah, what can compare?
So to be borne, this also was to bear. R. WI.
Lx.x.xVII.
_Videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube._ Luc. xxi. 27.
Immo, veni: aerios, o Christe, accingere currus, Inque triumphali nube coruscus ades.
Nubem quaeris? erunt nostra, ah! suspiria nubes: Aut sol in nubem se dabit ipse tuam.
_They shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud._
Come, yoke Thy chariots of the air, O Lord; Triumphal honours let bright clouds afford.
Dost seek a cloud? Our sighs a cloud will be, Or the sun melt into a cloud for Thee. G.
Lx.x.xVIII.
